Business Today

POPLAR BLUFF -- For the past two years, residents needing steel fabrication have had to travel out of the community. As of June 30, they need travel no farther than 1886 B Highway, the location of the newly re-opened Poplar Bluff Steel and Fabrication LLC.

"We do fabrication work, we sell all types of steel and we can special order other types of steel that we don't carry," said Amy Henson, controller. "We can get about any type of steel that a person could need."

The business is owned by Troy Henson of Poplar Bluff, Amy Henson's father. Troy Henson works as a project manager for Libla Communications in Poplar Bluff and is currently working on the Pike Creek Sewer District project.

"Troy purchased this business to run on the side," Amy Henson explained. "He and his wife have lived here in Poplar Bluff for about 23 years and he has been in the construction business for over 40 years."

Troy Henson carries a degree in both machine tool technology and industrial technology.

"Ron Steers is our fabrication worker and he came all the way from Illinois to help us get started," explained Amy Henson. "He has a degree in welding technology and is certified in Illinois and is currently in the process of having his certification transferred."

Fabrication is the welding, cutting, shearing and bending of steel. Most of the work done is custom made to a customer's wishes.

"Just about anything with steel, as far as fabrication goes, we can do it," Henson said. "It doesn't matter if it is a big job or a little job -- whatever the customer wants, we're willing to try it and see if we can make it work for them."

Steers has fabricated a wide variety of items including a custom-made cattle guard panel, mailbox poles, specialized brackets, birdhouse poles, pins for backhoe and trackhoe buckets, shaves for tractors and more.

"We don't have the standards of too big or too small here," Steers said.

But perhaps the most important aspect of the business is the convenience of mobile welding.

"We do mobile welding," said Henson. "If someone calls and they have a tractor broke down in a field, then we'll go out there and fix whatever part was broken."

Steers said, "We also do mobile aluminum welding, which is very rare for this area."

Since re-opening, Henson said he has watched business increase more and more every day.

"We've been getting busier and busier as word gets out," said Henson. "I've seen it increase on a regular basis. And people who come in say that they are so glad we opened because they don't have to travel as far to get the work done anymore."